To be honest, I didn't think of it like this, but wow is it correct...

Jared ,

Israel

(09.19.11)

3. Rational argument

except for the last line.

Rebecca ,

Modiin

(09.19.11)

4. We've never tried sending the military band to war.

Do we have a bagpipe section? Because I think our women's voices are too nice to use as a weapon, as do the religious soldiers.

Rebecca ,

Modiin

(09.19.11)

5. Sociological reality?

Which is that the IDF is still an overwhelming secular outfit even if religious soldiers punch above their weight demographically in the officers course? 80% of troops are secular whereas 40% of company commanders wear a knit kippa.... that's the sociological problem there pal

Philos ,

Herzliya

(09.19.11)

6. No need to give up singers

The singers have no purpose except to entertain combat soldiers.
Israel must be the only country where a soldier's combat worthiness is judged on the type of entertainment he wants to hear.
Soldiers should be given a choice to listen to the entertainment or do guard or kitchen duty.
This way, women can sing, soldiers who want to listen can listen, and soldiers who don't aren't forced to.

Israel Israeli ,

Tel Aviv

(09.19.11)

7. What a hipocracy! The report is written by some Haredi!

Now you have a problem with woman singing, but will it stop there? As far as I see in Beit Shemesh it came upto calling 6 year olds ____ (you know what). We do not want your religious hipocracy. Now you have problem with woman singings, tomorrow you will refuse to get orders from lady commander, them you will have problems with woman getting training alongside you, then you will have problem why women is seated in same row (and may be pushed backed like they do with them in bus), then you will have problem with kosher food and dlat kosher will be requested, and will it stop here? No, I want to know what if war breaks up on Saturday? I want to know if enemy puts woman songs on loud-speaker, will they run back from war? I want to know if they have to arrest a woman and she is resisting, then what? Will they refuse to touch her and over-power her? This is army and not your yashiva. Do not pollute it with your unjustified demands. Keep it the way it is.

Jew1 ,

Ashdod

(09.19.11)

8. Ban all female singing. Then it'll no longer be a problem

The IDF doesn't serve bacon or cheesburgers to its soldiers even though this offend non-religious' freedom to eat what they want, especially the ones who love an original McDonalds burger.
If they wanted to make the seculars happy by serving cheeseburgers on one side of the room and kosher on the other, it would delight the seculars but alienate the religious, causing unnecessary headaches and division.
This same principal should apply to female singers: it causes so many problems, so end it solve it in a single swoop by banning female singing once and for all, even in a 100% secular audience.

Jews for Israel ,

Haifa, IL

(09.19.11)

9. Say no to religious coercion

So in that case ban the rabbis who never miss a chance to force religion down other peoples throats.
Freedom from other peoples religion is also a right.

Haim ,

TA

(09.19.11)

10. Female Singers

To walk out on a female singer anywhere and at any time is an insult to God. After all, isn't it He/She who created male and female in His/Her image, singing voices included???? When the day comes on which we all have to answer for our deeds/misdeeds, I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of people, who intentionally disparaged any part of God's creation, based on nothing more than their own arrogance, implying they knew more of what God wanted than what is obvious.

M. Hartley ,

Atlanta, US

(09.19.11)

11. Israel becoming a theocraty

It's disgusting !
Israel and Iran are like twin brothers

Gregg ,

Haifa, IL

(09.19.11)

12. best solution

First of all we should not hate each other as this is what the enemy wants . Have respect for each other no matter who he is. Second it should be optional for both sides if they want to listen to a female singer or they want to listen to a rabbai.You never know in the future war G forbid who will be fighting alongside you and saving each other,s life.Happy New Year to All and Peace.

Ronny Judah ,

Melbourne Australia

(09.19.11)

13. Is there forced entertainment in Israel?

Rachel ,

US

(09.19.11)

14. To n° 2

:-))

Marcela Araújo ,

Brazil

(09.19.11)

15. The army need religious, not women singers

How true! Too bad the army does not think in these terms.

Larry ,

Los Angeles

(09.19.11)

16. To n° 12

:lol:
You are right. It is the best solution... Wich I always forget, when I am furious... But, I won't forget anymore... :)

Marcela Araújo ,

Brazil

(09.19.11)

17. Send the military band to the front!

Yitzchak ,

Israel

(09.19.11)

18. Hear Hear

"In the next war, the army will be sending Golani to the front, not a military band." [End of quote]
Hear Hear

Mitchell Cohen ,

Gush-Etzion, Israel

(09.19.11)

19. No. 11 Gregg

I'm an atheist, but your statement is so hyperbolic as to reveal a much greater antipathy toward Israel than just the fact that you're opposed to religious coercion.
So come back and talk to us when Israel starts stoning women and executing homosexuals...and then your argument might have some validity.

NYC Girl

(09.19.11)

20. Honour the Mothers

Clal Israel needs to honour its mothers, who give birth to the next generation, more than it needs male Taliban-minded fanatics who deprecate them.

Rony

(09.19.11)

21. #9 Why is anti-religious coercion acceptable

No there should be no coercion in either direction.

Sam

(09.19.11)

22. Female Singers

Why should anyone be forced to listen to "entertainment"? I am not particularly fond of rap music, SO when others wish to partake I simply remove myself. If a soldier willing to die for this country does not wish to listen to female entertainment, then why can't he remove himself? Somehow I don't think women singers will NOT be putting their lives on the line for Eretz Israel. We need to smarten up and be rational. Hating any member of our country is wrong--better to learn to co-exist.

Bruria

(09.19.11)

23. 19, Girl

And oh yes, I forgot: I was indeed a very good and loyal supporter of Israel back in the time I was living in Europe.
Funny how, since I have been living here, I saw how really things are in Israel and I can thank the Israeli govt and people for making me so unfriendly towards Israel

Gregg ,

Haifa, IL

(09.19.11)

24. I'll take religious soldiers any day

The singing in the IDF makes it seem like a summer camp anyway. Find them other, more productive jobs in the army.

Mr. Reasonable ,

Tel Aviv

(09.19.11)

25. "classic clash of two extremities." LOL

Seth ,

Washington, DC

(09.19.11)

26. Hagai Segal should learn from the Gdolim. Singing is ok.

Segal wrote the obvious answer in his column.
He and any other religious soldiers should take Rav Amar's example and follow it - if he encounters a female singing, then ignore it and go on with life.

Brian Cohen ,

Judean Peoples Front

(09.19.11)

27. BIG ISRAEL: politically secular, cultural core traditional.

Jerry ,

The Netherlands

(09.19.11)

28. IDF can give up singers

Under no circumstances Israel should allow the religious minority to dictate anything.
It is their very specific desire to turn Israel into a Taliban type country!

Avi Meron ,

CA, USA

(09.20.11)

29. to 11

You are disgusting for your anti-Israel post.Yes,you might be an Israeli citizen but you certainly don't belong there.Go to France-that country would suit you better.

john Darren ,

cairns-Australia

(09.20.11)

30. Female Singing

The tradition of female singing(as with entertainment troops) is part of the tradition of Tzahal. Songs, such as Shir Hashalom, have become ingrained in the culture of the State are equally as important to the moral of the soldiers as the citizens.
Religious bigotry must stop. What is becoming of Israel.